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Madagascar Holiday

Verdant rainforests and dramatic landscapes are all part of this hiking adventure in Madagascar. Getting off the beaten track we trek through rain forests, granite hills with highland meadows, and surreal sandstone landscapes. Over a dozen species of lemur live in these protected areas, as well as unique endemic reptiles and birds, and unusual plants including huge baobab trees. Our trip will be supported by local porters and we will visit many local villages en route. At the end we have time to relax on the shores of the Indian Ocean.

Tour Highlights

Trek in the rainforest - A unique ecosystem and home to lemurs, chameleons, amphibians and countless species of birds.

Off the beaten track - Hike in national parks and other remote areas

Villages and people - Interact with the friendly and hospitable local people.

Itinerary

1

Tour starts Antananarivo Airport

Our tour starts at Antananarivo Airport. We then travel south by charter bus to Antsirabe arriving early evening. Situated in subtropical highland and lying on a volcanic field, this city is famous for its thermal springs and its colonial architecture, a vestige of the European missionaries that came to the island.

Overnight: Standard HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Lunch

2

Camping in Ranomafana National Park

Today we continue travelling south via Ialatsara Reserve to Ranomafana National Park passing terraced rice paddies and village communities typical of the Malagasy highlands. We arrive late afternoon and set up camp at a permanent campsite near to the park entrance. Here our cook prepares us an evening meal. There are simple washing facilities. Ranomafana is one of Madagascar's most spectacular national parks. The hills are covered in primary and secondary cloud and rainforest, and there is a great diversity of flora and fauna These include 12 species of lemur and over 115 species of birds, some of which are endemic to the area. There are also many small streams and waterfalls running through the park, joining the Namorona River as it flows off the highlands and into the valley.

Overnight: Basic CampingYour own tent available

Included Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

3

Hike through the rainforest. Look for lemurs

Early this morning, with porters carrying our overnight bags, we hike into the forest looking for local wildlife including lemurs. If we are extremely lucky we will see the endangered golden bamboo and greater bamboo lemurs. It was the discovery of the rare golden bamboo lemur here that persuaded the government to create Ranomafana National Park in 1986. We stop for a picnic lunch before heading into the primary rainforest where we stay at another permanent campsite. This is a small campsite in a forest clearing with simple washing facilities. Again our cook will prepare us a hearty evening meal.

Our wildlife walk covers a distance of 10 kilometres over approximately six hours. The terrain is hilly rainforest and the walk is mainly on unmade forest trails.

Overnight: Basic CampingYour own tent available

Included Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

4

Wildlife trail and thermal baths

This morning we take another wildlife walk in to the forest hoping to see more animal species, including the black-and-white ruffed lemur which can only be found in this primary forest area. We then hike out of the forest area along the Varijatsy Trek Circuit to the village of Ranomafana on the banks of the Namorona Rive ending at the thermal baths and swimming pool - the name Ranomafana locally means 'hot water'.

Today's walk covers 12 kilometres over approximately five hours. As yesterday the terrain is hilly rainforest and the walk is mainly on unmade forest trails.

Overnight: Standard HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

5

Drive to Ambalavao. Visit the Anja Community Reserve

Today we travel to Ambalavao via the ancient royal city of Fianarantsoa. Ambalavao is a beautiful town, the houses in the 'Old Town' are brightly coloured with steep tiled roofs and wooden balconies. It is also a lively market town, home to the largest cattle market on Madagascar. After an optional lunch we visit the nearby Anja Reserve, a local community reserve, where we hope to see ring-tailed lemurs before returning to Ambalavao for the evening.

Overnight: Standard HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

6

Drive into Andringitra National Park. Start four day hike

After breakfast we travel by 4WD to Andringitra National Park where we will spend the next three days. On arrival we trek with porters east through several small villages to the first forest campsite, where we have a picnic lunch. The campsite has basic washing facilities - running water but no showers. The park scenery is stunning, encompassing high mountains, granite outcrops and deep valleys, and supports rainforest, mountain forest and high altitude meadow vegetation. As a consequence it is one of the most biodiverse areas of Madagascar with over 1000 species of plants, 100 species of birds, 50 species of mammals (including 13 of lemurs) and 55 species of frogs. However the park covers a large area and much of it is grassland meadows (it is covered in flowers including orchids December to April) so the wildlife isn't always easy to see. Tonight, after dinner, we take a nocturnal nature walk looking for some local animal nightlife in the forest.

On our day walk we hike for 5 kilometres over approximately two hours. The path passes through local villages and through fields before meeting the edge of the forest area at the campsite.

Overnight: Basic CampingYour own tent available

Included Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

7

Wildlife trail. Trek through rainforest and a meadow plateau to higher campsite

Starting early we make a wildlife walk, looking for birds and lemurs, before we begin our trek up to the park's highest campsite, Andriampotsy. We gain altitude on this trek as we pass through the Imaitso forest and arrive at a meadow plateau at the foot of the main Andringitra granite outcrop. We have a picnic lunch on the way up and then follow the trail past several streams to the campsite, the base camp for the climb to the highest point of the reserve, Pic Imarivolanitra. The campsite is basic but there is a shower area for bucket showers and toilets. Our cook provides us with an evening meal before we turn in for the night.

8

Walk to the summit of Imarivolanitra (2658 m)

Today we walk up between a series of granite boulders to the summit of Imarivolanitra, the highest point in southern Madagascar. It is a fairly steady climb on a well-managed path and the views from the top of this mountain down over the park are breathtaking. We then descend along the same paths via last night's campsite to a lower campsite, another basic campsite but with a shower area and toilets.

Our walk covers 15 kilometres over approximately seven hours. It is a steady ascent along narrow mountain paths followed by a descent on similar paths down through tropical forest.

Overnight: Basic CampingYour own tent available

Included Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

9

Travel to Isalo National Park

After walking to the park entrance we return by 4WD to Ambalavao, and then head south west by charter bus to Isalo National Park where we stay in Namaza campsite. This camp is on the edge of the Isalo sandstone massif where the dry forest is home to sifaka, ring-tailed lemur and brown lemur. It is a basic campsite with simple washing facilities. From the campsite we can see the sandstone hills that have been eroded by nature to form deep gorges and bizarre shapes.

Our morning walk out of Andringitra National Park covers 5 kilometres over approximately two hours. We descend down to the park entrance on unmade forest trails and access roads.

Overnight: Basic CampingYour own tent available

Included Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

10

Wildlife Trail. Swim in natural pools

Isalo offers a totally different landscape from either Ranomafana or Andringitra. The main massif is a huge area of sandstone eroded into deep gullies on the eastern side. There are patches of dry forest throughout the reserve which are home to lemur groups although they are shy and rarely seen. The temperatures are much hotter and plant life reflects this with moisture retaining species such as aloes and the extraordinary dwarf baobabs. After a morning wildlife trail we walk with our porters through the sandstone massif of Isalo to natural swimming pools and our next campsite. The campsite has basic facilities.

Today's walk covers 8 kilometres over approximately four hours. We walk along uneven sandstone paths.

Overnight: Basic CampingYour own tent available

Included Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

11

Hike out of park. Drive to Ifaty Beach via Zombitse Park

This morning we descend down from our campsite to the park entrance. We then drive west to Toliara. En route we stop at Zombitse National Park, which despite years of slash and burn farming in the area, hosts an area of dry deciduous forest. This harbours a wide variety of wildlife including several lemur species and the elusive fossa (a cat-like mammal endemic to Madagascar), as well as many birds and reptile species. Throughout the forest are magnificent baobab trees. From Toliara we continue to Ifaty Beach, a small resort on the west coast, our base for the next two nights.

Our morning walk out of Isalo National Park covers 4 kilometres in approximately two hours. We walk along unmade park trails.

Overnight: Standard HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

12

Free day in Ifaty Beach

Today is free to relax or explore the area. Ifaty Beach is a huge sandy bay which looks out over a lagoon protected by a barrier reef up to seven kilometres from the shore. Traditional fishing villages are scattered along the bay and fishing is still done in sail powered outrigger canoes. There is an option to visit the reef for snorkelling. There is also is an excellent forest walk in the Reniala Reserve just inland from the beach area, where strange spiny forest can be found and some of the most attractive of the endemic bird species, such as the long-tailed ground roller, sub-desert mesite and sickle-billed vanga.

Overnight: Standard HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

13

Fly to Antananarivo

Today we fly from Toliara to Antananarivo airport from where we transfer to our hotel. The time of the flight varies so the rest of the day is free to relax.

Overnight: Standard HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

14

Day walk in the highlands and villages around Antananarivo

This morning we take a gentle walk to Ambohitrabiby Hill on the outskirts of Antananarivo through local villages and rice paddies. We also learn about local silk weaving before returning to Antananarivo in the afternoon.

Our walk covers 6 kilometres over approximately three hours. We walk along simple footpaths.

Overnight: Standard HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

15

Tour ends Antananarivo

Tour notes

Each departure date has it's own dedicated tour note, detailing all you need to know about that tour. Whether you've already booked, or weighing up your options, please choose carefully the relevant itinerary for you.

We have the following different versions of the Madagascar Wilderness Trek tour available at present.